Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple user equipment devices (UE). Each UE communicates with one or more base stations, such as a Node B, evolved Node B (eNB), or other access point, via transmissions on the forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the UEs, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from the UEs to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out, multiple-in-single-out or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system.
These multiple access technologies have been adopted in various telecommunication standards to provide a common protocol that enables different wireless devices to communicate on a municipal, national, regional, and even global level. An example of an emerging telecommunication standard is Long Term Evolution (LTE). LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile standard promulgated by Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). It is designed to better support mobile broadband Internet access by improving spectral efficiency, lower costs, improve services, make use of new spectrum, and better integrate with other open standards using OFDMA on the downlink (DL), SC-FDMA on the uplink (UL), and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology. However, as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase, there exists a need for further improvements in LTE technology. Preferably, these improvements should be applicable to other multi-access technologies and the telecommunication standards that employ these technologies.
For example, currently, a UE has the option of two modes. In a connected mode, as the UE travels between cells, the UE must be handed over between each cell. For example, a source cell must transmit a message to a target cell. A corresponding configuration must be signaled and confirmed with the target cell. Thus, for a UE with infrequent data bursts, such signaling during a connected mode can cause excessive signaling and/or battery use because the required signaling places a drain on the battery life of the UE. In idle mode, while the UE is not required to signal the handover between cells, whenever the UE leaves the idle mode, e.g., whenever a new data burst is required, the transition from idle mode to connected mode triggers a significant amount of signaling. For example, Non-Access Stratum (NAS) signaling, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, and/or S1 Application Part (S1AP) control plane signaling may be required in order for the UE to receive and/or transmit a data burst. Thus, in idle mode, if the UE has any reason to contact the network, it must perform a substantial signaling procedure.
As noted, if the data bursts are infrequent and/or if the UE is in an area with a large number of cells, e.g., in a hyper dense area, both the connected and the idle mode provide an inefficient use of UE and network resources as well as UE battery power.